Core Aerate Your Lawn with Denver Landscaping Services

July 6, 2016

To maintain the health of your yard, there are basic lawncare techniques to practice such as mowing, weeding, fertilization, and watering. However, matted grass and compacted soil can prevent some nutrients from reaching the deeper levels of soil and roots in your yard. To ensure these levels get the air and water they need to thrive, it’s important to core aerate your lawn. As your Denver landscaping experts with knowledge of the local terrain and what it requires to keep it looking its best, we can assist you with this process.

What is Core Aeration?Core aeration is the perforation of lawn, involving the systematic removal of small plugs of grass and soil to allow air, water, and other nutrients to penetrate the roots. The roots will grow deeper and stronger with better natural soil aeration, leading to a lusher, more robust lawn. Heavily clumped areas of grass, known as thatch buildup, can block roots from receiving light and nutrients; compacted soil is too dense to allow the necessary circulation of air and water. Lawn aeration, also known as “soil cultivation,” helps solve these primary issues. Hollow- and open-tined tools are commonly used to make deep holes that lie close together; your professional local landscaper will know which equipment to use to greatest effect, depending on the particular needs of your yard.

What are the Benefits?Aerating your lawn offers many advantages, including increased water absorption through the soil and roots, increased fertilizer retention, more nutrients exchanges, reduced water drainage, less thatching of the grass, and less soil compaction. The grass will also have more resiliency, becoming more resistant to heat stress, drought, and insect pests. Frequent aerations will continue to improve your yard throughout the year, although late spring and early fall are the most ideal times for professional treatment.

Which Lawns Need Aeration?If your lawn gets heavy foot traffic and overall use, such as from children, pets, mowers, or frequent entertaining, then the soil is more likely to be compacted. Yards that are installed as part of new home construction are vulnerable to soil compaction too, as the nutrient-rich topsoil can be lost and the subsoil pressed down during construction. Soil layering is another potential culprit, which occurs when sod is placed over existing soil in a yard. Finer sod particles traps water in the upper layers, preventing drainage to the deeper soil and causing inhibited root growth.

What Happens Next?After the experts aerate your lawn, it will be dotted with the small plugs of grass and soil they pulled. These will break apart and disintegrate back into your grass within weeks on their own. After a week or so, expect to see the aeration holes sprouting with new, active root growth, which means the grass is beginning to get more air, light, and nutrient flow. There should also be obvious signs of better drainage (less puddling after rainfall) and your lawn should hold up better between waterings.

We at My Landscaper offer comprehensive, premium lawncare services in Denver, from installation to maintenance. Call us at 720-882-5772 to learn more about the benefits of core aeration and what we can do to help you achieve a vigorous, healthy yard year-round.